Clippers' Nakase becomes 1st female on NBA sideline at Summer League

Shortly before Las Vegas Summer League began, Natalie Nakase sent out a tweet setting the stage for the two weeks ahead of her:

When the Los Angeles Clippers took the court for the tournament, Nakase was right along side them, sitting among her coaching peers on the Clippers' bench. It marked the first time a female has ever done so, and it's a great first step in what appears to be a budding and ground-breaking coaching career.

Still just 34, Nakase made the transition from being a pro basketball player to becoming the first female coach in the history of Japan's professional men's league, and then to a role as an assistant video coordinator for the Clippers two seasons ago.

Her coaching journey, which could already have included a WNBA head coaching stint had Nakase not declined, has a very clear finish line in her mind.

"I want to coach in the NBA," Nakase told ESPN's Outside the Lines.

Her performance in Summer League has resonated with others on the staff. Brendan O'Connor, the team's head coach for the tournament and an assistant on Doc Rivers' staff, spoke highly of her.

"She's been phenomenal," O'Connor said. "She was the Miami scout and watched every game from the Orlando Summer League and had them nailed, so we were ready for them."

Rivers, too, has been impressed, and none other than Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are said to seek her out for help, though she wouldn't give away for what specifically.

The goal is a lofty one, and being the first woman to do it would surely weigh on most. Nakase, however, sounds like someone strong enough to tackle what's ahead of her the next few years:

I don’t ever think anything’s too big. I think anyone can do anything they want to do as long as they stay focused and they just keep trying. A lot of times when people go after their goals as soon as they see slight setbacks or failure, they’ll stop. But my dad kind of instilled in me like a keep going, keep trying, keep trying [mentality] and it’s just something that I really love doing. And when you really love doing something you’re just going to keep trying no matter what.